Analysis of X-ray radiograph developer and fixer solutions in their waste

Abstract

Radiography is an important complementary tool used for diagnosis in health centers in many diagnostic laboratories in Sudan. However, during the radiographic processing, effluents are generated (developer, fixer, and wash water) posing an environmental threat, as such effluents contain organic and inorganic compounds that are toxic to the environment which unfortunately is the case in most private practices and teaching institutes where they are inappropriately disposed off.Therefore, this research aimed to determine the chemical parameters of X-ray radiograph developer and fixer in effluent and waste and to estimate the heavy metals present. Samples of the developer and fixer solutions were taken after theis have been used for developing and fixing X-ray radiographic film and subjected to analysis of physicochemical analysis using standard methods, whereas heavy metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and x-ray florescence (XRF). The physicochemical parameters of developer and fixer were found to be 9.95 pH for developer and 4.90 for fixer, BOD 0.104mg/l for developer and 0.054 mg/l for fixer, COD 8.16mg/l for developer and 0.48 mg/l for fixer, TS 29.3mg/l for developer and 29.5mg/l for fixer, and TDS 29.3 mg/l for developer and24.3 mg/l for fixer. Atomic absorption spectrophotometric results showed that the fixer contained higher levels of silver (18 ppm) than that of developer (12.4 ppm). Iron content in developer was (7.2 ppm) and in fixer(6.5 ppm) and lead in developer was(6.5 ppm). iv XRF revealed that the silver content in fixer was (16 ppm) whereas lead content was (8.8 ppm). The results obtained call for development of treatment methods to reduce heavy metals content of radiographic film developer and fixer solution and also to recover their expensive silver content before their discharge.